Adi | At The Confluence

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Far east in the Himalayan border of India and China, lives the tribal Adi people, by the river Siang. The Adi culture is beautiful and unique with shamanic chants of their mythologies of origin, animistic rituals around nature and amicable resolution of disputes in their traditional courts.cd743b_929ecb0c99c142a7b32a439c191201983 With the memories of 1962 Indo-China war still fresh, China now reasserts its territorial claim of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, the land of the Adis. This conflict is also extended to the water, and is becoming a great Dam war. On both sides of the border mega dams are being built on the elegant Siang that originates in Tibet, turns sharp through the Himalayas and flows down through the Adi villages to join the mighty river Brahmaputra in the valley of North East India. Will peace return to the borders? Will the Adis stay Indian? Will the mega dams have a catastrophic effect on the rivers – both Siang and the Brahmaputra downstream? Will this tribal culture and language survive – orally, without a script? Will India and China get into a dialogue? Through a series of encounters with the Adis by the Siang, near the old town of Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh, this journey probes for answers and portrays their inspiring resilience and hope.
Filmmaker, Joor Baruah
Filmmaker, Joor Baruah
Filmmaker Joor Baruah, now based in California, United States, was born in the northeast Indian state of Assam. He is personally invested in giving a voice to the tribes of the northeastern states, a much neglected part of India.
Joor Baruah is an alumni of University of California, Santa Cruz, where he earned his MA in Social Documentation (Documentary Filmmaking) from the department of Film+Digtal Media.
Joor Baruah’s story-telling is inspired by the folk songs of his mother Rose Baruah, his uncle Dr. Bhupen Hazarika and the work of filmmakers like Dziga Vertov, Satyajit Ray and Santiago Alvarez
 
cd743b_c427337efbb7483c949ecfb6e94e291a1The documentary Adi | At The Confluence is now being shown in film festivals in various countries including – United States, India, Germany, Greece, Argentina, Colombia, Malaysia, Canada and Italy. Premiered at the historic Del Mar Theatre in Santa Cruz, California in June 2016, it has so far won Best Documentary awards in 15th Annual Santa Cruz Film Festival 2016 and 9th Annual Hamilton New York Film Festival 2016.
It has also been chosen as finalist in the documentary category in SILA Festival, San Pietro Magisano (CZ), Italy, 2016; Mountain Shadow Film Society, California, 2016; 6th Annual Guam International Film Festival 2016, International Short Film Festival of Psarokokalo | Athens, Greece 2016, Festival Internacional de Cine y Arte, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2016 and for the ‘Golden Aphrodite Award’ at the 11th Annual Cyprus International Film Festival 2016. The film involves an eclectic mix of international and local advisors and crew from the California bay area ranging from creative advisor B. Ruby Rich, production advisor Jennifer M Taylor, sound engineer Paul Zahnley and musician Ittai Rosenbaum amongst others.
The film (extracts) has also been presented in prestigious documentary and film conferences like 23rd Annual Visible Evidence 2016 (the leading conference on documentary scholarship) in Montana, United States; Long Beach Indie International Film, Media + Music festival, Long Beach, California and 5th Annual IAFOR FilmAsia ~ conference on Film & Documentary, Kobe, Japan – as a part of a paper “Audio Visual documentation of Borderland Spaces and People”.
The documentary is supported by BLUM Center for Emerging economies, Florence French Fund and Arts Fund for Excellence.
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Photography by www.theaditribe.com

Apostolic Nuncio Bids Festive Farewell to First Secretary

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Pictured H.E. Aldo Cavalli Apostolic Nuncio. H.E. Aldo Cavalli Apostolic Nuncio once again opened the doors of the Apostolic Nuntiature, following the Holy Mass on Sunday, September 4, in order to bid a festive farewell to First Secretary, Yovko Genov Pishtiyski, who has been posted to Singapore.  
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First Secretary, Yovko Genov Pishtiyski.
The farewell reception, organized by members from the burgeoning community, featured seafood and mixed paellas that were so large in size, that four pairs of hands were to handle them! Everyone gathered in the Nunciature, fell silent, as the enormous pans of paella were cermoniously presented to the Nuncio and First Secretary and placed on the buffet table for all to admire. Some 150-200 guests, including many top level diplomats and their families, were invited to the festive occasion. fullsizerender-15xx The lovely chapel, on the grounds of the nunciature was filled, well beyond capacity, for the Mass which preceded the luncheon. Members of the local international community in the city, as well as those from other communities in the area, spilled out in the hall and down the stairs to the entrance of the building—in a clear demonstration of support for both the Nuncio and Father Yovko, whose warm presence will be dearly missed in this international city of justice and peace. His Excellency, in his characterstic Italian style, warmly greeted his many guests and took extra care to personally invite them into his “Great Room” where they could better hear the formal introductions and farewell speeches in honor of the the First Secretary. Special attention was given to “the little ones” who were present, as he guided them around the table to prominent positions, where they excitedly enjoyed the “unwrapping of farewell gifts.” 2-nunciatura-xx Much to the delight of onlookers, First Secretary Pishtiyski, an Apple aficionado ,with reported techie interests, was presented with the latest generation version of an Apple Watch, as a fond farewell gift from the community. The Sunday fare featured a respendent array of, primarily Latin American and Spanish buffet luncheon specialities, and included an extended dessert table. All was arranged with simplicity among the feligreses of the church, who gathered together for the occasion. The ambience was so welcoming that many lingered well into the mid afternoon. In response to Msgr. Cavalli’s warm and gracious spirit, more are attending the Holy Mass with each passing week. The community extends their best wishes to Father Yokov and wishes him much happiness and success with his new assignment in the Far East!   .        

Fatou Bensouda et la violence en République Démocratique du Congo

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Déclaration du Procureur de la Cour pénale internationale, Fatou Bensouda, suite aux récentes violences survenues en République Démocratique du Congo. Suite aux événements violents qui se sont déroulés ces derniers jours à Kinshasa, en République Démocratique du Congo (RDC), et à des actes dont il est allégué qu’ils pourraient constituer des crimes de la compétence de la Cour pénale internationale (la «CPI» ou la «Cour»), je tiens à rappeler à tous et à toutes en RDC que je surveille avec une extrême vigilance la situation sur le terrain. J’appelle toutes les parties potentiellement impliquées et tous les acteurs congolais au calme et à  la retenue, et à s’abstenir de tout acte de violence contre les personnes et les biens. J’appelle également tous les acteurs peu importe leur qualité officielle ou affiliation politique de tous bords à exhorter leurs partisans, sympathisants et agents à s’abstenir de tout acte de violence criminelle contre les individus, ceci d’une façon claire et sans équivoque, et à prendre les mesures nécessaires afin de prévenir la commission de tels actes. Mon Bureau enquête en République Démocratique du Congo depuis 2004 et notre travail continue. Je n’hésiterai pas à agir si des actes constitutifs de crimes relevant de la compétence de la Cour sont commis et à  prendre toutes les mesures qui s’imposent pour poursuivre en justice les personnes responsables en conformité avec le principe de complémentarité.      

B2B Workshop of ICT Companies

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On the picture  H.E. Jana Reinisova . On Tuesday, October 18, 2016, from 13:30 to 20:00 the Ambassador of the Czech Republic, H.E. Jana Reinisova  will host the B2B Workshop of Czech ICT Companies. Come to the event to get the latest information about the new ICT technologies and systems,  discuss the possible solutions of your needs-ICT and security challenges with experts from top Czech ICT companies which some of them already have clients in the Netherlands. CIOs, ICT experts, people from the financial and insurance sector, fintech, are more than welcome. The workshop will be followed by a short piano concert and a reception. boardroomit_embassy-of-the-czech-republic_2016-10-18_ad-v-1-4

Information: October 18, 2016, from 13:30 to 20:00 / Burgemeester van Karnebeeklaan 1, 2585 BA Den Haag. Reservation: (commerce_hague@mzv.cz or (+31) 70 313 00 14 or (+31) 70 313 00 31). / Participation is for free but the registration is necessary.

“Hispanic Origins”, A Journey through Spanish Cultures!

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Hispanic Origins / October 8th at Hilton The Hague. In the month of October 2016 we will be celebrating again the event “Hispanic Origins” in The Hague. After the very well visited edition 2015, the edition 2016 of Hispanic Origins will take place on the 8th of October at the Hilton The Hague hotel. Like the past year visitors will be able to enjoy concerts, dance performances, exhibitions and the gastronomic delights of many Hispanic countries. Since the moment Columbus discovered America on the 12th of October 1492, the Spanish and Portuguese have influenced the development of countries and cultures on the continent. Nowadays, all these different countries have their own culture, traditions and customs although they still share their common origin. To celebrate this mix of diversity based on equality, Hispanic Origins is organised each year around the 12th of October, the date on which America was discovered. This date is especially chosen because it is a holiday celebrated by many people around the world who have a Spanish heritage. The event is for all culture lovers and particularly to people interested in the traditions and peculiarities of Hispanic countries. ‘Nearly all the tickets for the 2015 edition were sold before the event even took place. One hour after opening all the remaining tickets were sold as well which meant all the 450 available tickets were sold out. To allow more people to join the event in 2016, a bigger venue has been chosen.‘ Said Cristina Galbe, from Galbe Events & Catering, organiser of the event. The event will take place from 15:00 until 21:00 and visitors are offered a child’s program in the afternoon, followed by a food & culture show after which the evening show takes place. The food & culture show consists of a variety of shows, culinary presentations and expositions. The embassies of all the different participating countries have supported in organising the program, both by offering the culinary presentations and providing entertainment for the visitors. During the evening show from 18:00 to 21:00, a variety of performances of song and dance can be enjoyed. More information about this event, the complete program and tickets can be found on www.hispanic-origins.com Face book: Origins Hispanic / Día de la Hispanidad  

Brazil Network Day

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Brazil Network Day (BND), organized by the Embassy of Brazil since 2011, is the Brazilian flagship event. On November 1st 2016 the 11th Brazil Network Day (BND). BND will take place in the AMTRIUM RAI AMSTERDAM. The upcoming BND will focus on business and investment opportunities in the State of Goiás, Brazil. The event will be organized in partnership with Amsterdam Business and has the support of PwC, Baker McKenzie, Intertrust Group, Neogrid Netherlands and TAP Portugal. By bringing Brazilian and Dutch speakers together, BND fosters discussions on current issues and promotes network opportunity among companies doing or considering doing business with Brazil. BND Amsterdam will focus on agribusiness opportunities between Brazil and the Netherlands. The BND plenary sessions will take place from 14:00 to 18:00, followed by a business network cocktail (18:00 to 20:00) – see program enclosed. The first plenary session will address agribusiness opportunities of the State of Goiás. The second part will be dedicated to successful business cases of Brazilian companies established and doing business in the Netherlands and Dutch companies in Brazil.

President Meron discusses MICT as a new model of international justice

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The Hague, 20 September- The President of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (“Mechanism”), Judge Theodor Meron, yesterday took part in a panel discussion entitled “A Conversation on New Models of Tribunals”, at The Hague Institute for Global Justice. Dr. Abiodun Williams, President of The Hague Institute, led the conversation between President Meron, the Registrar of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, Dr. Fidelma Donlon; the Chair of International Criminal Law and Global Justice, and Programme Director of the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies, Leiden University, Professor Dr. Carsten Stahn. The event offered a unique opportunity for over 150 representatives of the international community in The Hague to discuss specific aspects of these two institutions, how they differ from other international courts and tribunals, as well as their possible contributions to future accountability efforts. In his remarks, President Meron reflected on several of the distinctive features of the Mechanism, compared to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, emphasizing that an important unique aspect of the Mechanism is its “overarching and explicit obligation to be lean and efficient” as mandated by the Security Council. To showcase how the Mechanism is operating in a small, temporary and efficient manner, President Meron touched upon some of the novel features in Chambers. These include, for example, the Mechanism’s reliance on a roster of Judges who carry out their functions for the Mechanism only when necessary; allowing for Judges to operate and undertake judicial work remotely, unless they are called to the seat of one of the two branches of the Mechanism; and the remuneration of Judges only for those days on which they exercise their functions. President Meron noted that these and other measures will achieve “a significant reduction in judicial expenses as compared with the two Tribunals” and enable the Mechanism to “stand as a new model of international court: one that is leaner and more efficient, while continuing to meet the highest international standards of due process”.    

End of roaming charges in the EU by 2017, European Commission agrees

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Brussels, 21 September 2016 As announced by President Jean-Claude Juncker in his State of the Union Address, Members of the College agreed that there should be no limits in terms of timing or volume imposed on consumers when using their mobile devices abroad in the EU. This new mechanism will be based on principle of residence or stable links European consumers may have with any EU Member State (frequent and substantial presence in the Member State of the roaming provider, for example). Andrus Ansip, Vice-President for the Digital Single Market, said: “Parliament and Council agreed on our proposal to end roaming charges for travellers in the EU. Together we need to ensure low prices for users all across Europe, to make full use of new mobile services. European consumers would not accept it otherwise.” Günther H. Oettinger, Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society, said: “Commission action on roaming prices has delivered for European consumers. Today’s draft rules ensure we can end roaming charges as of 15 June 2017 for all people who travel periodically in the EU, while ensuring that operators have the tools to guard against abuse of the rules.” The College of Commissioners discussed draft rules that will enable all travellers using a SIM card of a Member State in which they reside or with which they have stable links to use their mobile device in any other EU country, just as they would at home. Examples of “stable links” include work commuters, expats who are frequently present in their home country or Erasmus students. Europeans will pay domestic prices when they call, text or go online from their mobile devices and will have full access to other parts of their mobile subscription (e.g. monthly data package). The College of Commissioners will adopt the final proposal by 15 December 2016, following feedback from BEREC (Body of European Regulators in Electronic Communications), Member States and all interested parties.  

Accreditation Dinner to celebrate a longstanding relationship:

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On the picture Honorable Governor, Festus Uietele and H.E. Ambassador Dr Kaire Mbuende. By Antonia Barthel. On the evening of the 14th of September, guests from a variety of sectors gathered at the Carlton Ambassador Hotel in The Hague to celebrate the accreditation of H.E. Dr. Kaire Mbuende, Ambassador of the Republic of Namibia to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The celebrations were held after H.E. Dr. Kaire Mbuende had presented his Letters of Credence to HM King Willem-Alexander.
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Honorary Consul, Ms Cornelie Van Waegeningh and Ambassador Mbuende.
In his speech he described the longstanding relationship of more than 350 years between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Republic of Namibia. Additionally he highlighted the characteristics of the bilateral relations between both governments. Especially important was the presence of representatives of twinning arrangements or partnerships, which the Dutch and Namibian local authorities have established over the years.
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Jan Hak, entrepreneur, Loide-Shikwambi, First-Secretary; Ms Cornelie Van Waegeningh, Honorary Consul and Paul Staal, anti-apartheids activist.
H.E. Dr. Kaire Mbuende stated, “The peace and stability that we are enjoying today can only be sustained if we grow the economy and create more jobs. We live in an inter-dependent world and investments in Namibia will not only be good for the people of Namibia but will also benefit the economy of the Netherlands. Both countries stand to benefit from investment and other forms of co-operation.”
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David De Beer and Ambassador Mbuende.
Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of the Harambee Prosperity Plan, which was put in place by the Republic of Namibia in 2016 to fight poverty and increase prosperity.
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Paul Staal, anti-apartheids activist and H.E. Dr. Kaire Mbuende.
The evening was underlined by an incredible meal and great conversations. Amongst the numerous guests was Namibia’s Honorary Consul Mrs. Cornelie Van Waegeningh, Honorary Consul Mr. Jasper van Mill, the Governor of the Omaheke Region, Honorable Festus Ueitele, representatives of the partnership programs, Jan Rozema, chairperson of the Gobabis Smallingerland working group, as well as many academics.

Hungarian 1956 Commemoration Season

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This year marks the sixtieth anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight of 1956. On 23 October 2016, it is six decades ago that students started protesting against the communist dictatorship. In the video below, H.E. András Kocsis, Ambassador of Hungary to the Kingdom of the Netherlands explains the importance of the Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight today and shows what makes celebrating the sixtieth anniversary in the Netherlands very special. The worldwide commemoration of the revolution is sponsored by the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight 60th Anniversary Memorial Board. Together with various partners, the Embassy of Hungary in the Netherlands organizes various events from August to November 2016. They will tell previously untold stories of compassion and rebellion, highlight the important historic connection between the Netherlands and Hungary and thank the Netherlands for their support given to the Hungarian freedom fighters of 1956. Besides the national commemoration service on 23 October 2016, highlights include the premiere of a composition written by Peter Vigh on the occasion of the commemoration, the Dutch-Hungarian ZeNe music festival, a conference for Dutch secondary school teachers and a photography exhibition of Ata Kando at the Fotomuseum in Rotterdam. The 1956 Commemoration Season is followed by Hungarian film director Csaba Bogádi. His company Lonely Film creates video short reports of the events organized by the Embassy of Hungary. The videos may be watched on the YouTube channel of the Embassy   For information on the program please visit: http://haga.gov.hu/1956